New gecko species joins trove of recent discoveries in the Tehuacán Valley

New gecko species joins trove of recent discoveries in the Tehuacán Valley

Scientists have confirmed a new species of gecko endemic to the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, a major biocultural region spanning the states of Puebla and Oaxaca, environmental authorities reported last week. The nocturnal lizard — now officially named Phyllodactylus ngiwa and commonly known as the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley gecko — was first documented in 2020. It required years of further study to verify that the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Vall…